vbl. sb.
A. The method of loading (fire-arms) at the breech.
1866. Daily Tel., 26 May. The practice made with the imperfect ‘needle-gun’ … proves that breech-loading … perfectly admits of introduction into warfare.
1874. Boutell, Arms & Arm., 219. The idea of breech-loading formed a part of the original conception of the cannon itself.
b. attrib. That is loaded at the breech.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 17. Breech-loading guns cannot be made sufficiently durable to yield any reasonable return for the extra expense and trouble.
1861. Sat. Rev., 30 Nov., 559. This complaint … indicated an opinion that the breech-loading Armstrong 100-pounders … are not powerful guns.
1880. Standard, 14 Dec., 3/5. The 43-ton breech-loading gun.
